Purchase

[Joe]

I am looking to buy a Catalina 34 with a shoal draft.  I sail on the Ches Bay and was wondering if the tall rig made a big difference over the std rig.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Joe

[Ted Pounds]

Joe,

I race "Molly Rose" here on Lake Michigan.  She's a standard rig.  The difference in PHRF rating is only 9 seconds per mile versus the tall rig.  I race against a tall rig C34 (we're both fin keeels) and most of the time we're pretty close.  In fact we were first to finish the majority of races.  Now most of these were in heavier air (15 - 20 knots) and the positions might have been reversed in lighter air.  But I think the bottom line is they are fairly comparable and sail trim and such can more than make up for the slight difference.

Ted

[Roc]

Joe,
I have a wing keel/tall rig on the Chesapeake.  I think that combination works well. From what I see, fin/std tend to be found on the west coat and wing/tall on the east coast.  

Roc-